Cattle ranch gate

ABSTRACT

A cattle ranch gate is for use on a roadway and includes a pair of fixed upright posts disposed opposite each other on opposite sides of the roadway. Each post carries a gate support made up of beams arranged in a triangular shape with the hypotenuse beam disposed horizontally and centrally secured to its post top. The support beams meeting at the opposite apex are also secured to the post. At the opposite ends of the hypotenuse beam sheaves are secured. A gate panel extends across the roadway between the posts and has a rectangular frame spanned by barrier cables and extended at the bottom to provide pivot pins supported in the respective posts. The pivot pins permit pivotal movement of the gate panel about a horizontal axis very close to the roadway. Upstanding from the ends of the bottom tube of the gate frame is a pair of upright arms, each of which carries a sheave at its upper end. Around each sheave is the central part of one of a pair of lines each included in one of a pair of balance reevings. Each line extends upwardly over the sheaves at the ends of the adjacent hypotenuse beam and then depends therefrom, at each end carrying a counterweight, making four in all. Intermediate portions of the balance reeving line engage a pair of pulleys secured to the top of the post. The arrangements at both ends of the gate are symmetrical. At the center of the gate is an impact plate upstanding to a substantial distance. In normal, closed position the gate is held upright between the posts by the counterweights resting on the ground. To get through the gate, a vehicle simply drives against the impact plate in the desired direction and so rotates the gate panel around the low horizontal axis into a flat position and continues to drive over the flat gate panel. The downwardly rotating gate lifts the counterweights, but as soon as the vehicle has passed the counterweights restore the gate panel to its closed, upright position.

United States Patent 1191 Lubmann July 22, 1975 1 CATTLE RANCH GATE Elmont C. Lubmann, 4643 Fruitland Rd., Marysville. Calif. 95901 221 Filed: Aug. 16, 1974 211 Appl.No.:498,069

[76] Inventor:

Primary E.raminerlaul R. Gilliam Assistant E.taminer- Doris L. Troutman Attorney. Agent, or Firm-Lothrop & West [57] ABSTRACT A cattle ranch gate is for use on a roadway and includes a pair of fixed upright posts disposed opposite each other on opposite sides of the roadway. Each post carries a gate support made up of beams arranged in a triangular shape with the hypotenuse beam dis posed horizontally and centrally secured to its post top. The support beams meeting at the opposite apex are also secured to the post. At the opposite ends of the hypotenuse beam sheaves are secured. A gate panel extends across the roadway between the posts and has a rectangular frame spanned by barrier cables and extended at the bottom to provide pivot pins supported in the respective posts. The pivot pins permit pivotal movement of the gate panel about a horizontal axis very close to the roadway. Upstanding from the ends of the bottom tube of the gate frame is a pair of upright arms, each of which carries a sheave at its upper end. Around each sheave is the central part of one of a pair of lines each included in one of a pair of balance reevings. Each line extends upwardly over the sheaves at the ends of the adjacent hypotenuse beam and then depends therefrom. at each end carrying a counterweight, making four in all. Intermediate portions of the balance reeving line engage a pair of pulleys secured to the top of the post. The arrangements at both ends of the gate are symmelrical. At the center of the gate is an impact plate upstanding to a substantial distance.

In normal, closed position the gate is held upright between the posts by the counterweights resting on the ground. To get through the gate, a vehicle simply drives against the impact plate in the desired direction and so rotates the gate panel around the low horizontal axis into a flat position and continues to drive over the flat gate panel. The downwardly rotating gate lifts the counterweights, but us soon as the vehicle has passed the counterweights restore the gate panel to its closed, upright position.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures CATTLE RANCH GATE It is of considerable interest to provide a gate which is especially useful on a cattle ranch. for example. for inclusion in the fencing which segregates the cattle. and which can easily be operated without the user depart ing from his conveyance. operating the gate. driving or riding his conveyance through the gate and then again departing from, his conveyance to restore the gate to closed position. There is a requirement for such a gate that is not operable by cattle, although easily operated by a vehicle and that will function in all sorts of weather under all climatic conditions. and which is quite simple and straightforward so that its operation is certain and will continue over a long period of time without service difficulty.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide animproved cattle ranch gate having the foregoing characteristics.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cattle ranch gate that can easily be fabricated of materials that are readily available and that can easily be set or adjusted to take into particular account the conditions of a particular installation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cattle ranch gate that is quite effective a barrier when closed. yet can easily be utilized for through passage.

Another object of the invention is in general to provide a greatly improved cattle ranch gate.

Other objects. together with the foregoing. are attained in the embodiment of the invention described in the accompanying description and illustrated in the accompanying drawing. in which:

FIG. I is a front elevation ofa cattle ranch gate pursuant to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-section. the plane of which is indicated by the line 22 of FIG. 1.

While the cattle ranch gate pursuant to the invention can be incorporated in a widely variant number of forms. it has been successfully utilized as shown herein.

In this instance. the gate is installed across a roadway 6 to serve. when closed. as a barrier thereon. The mechanism is generally symmetrical about a center plane so that the description of one side thereof is equally applicable to the other side thereof.

In this instance described. on the opposite sides of the roadway and opposite each other there is erected a pair of posts 7 and 8 well anchored in the ground and extending to a suitable height. for example. seven or eight feet. Near the bottom of each of the posts there is provided a bearing 9 in which there is journalled the projecting end of a cross tube 11 forming the lower cross member of a gate panel 12. The tube ll is part of a generally rectangular. surrounding frame 13. An-

chored to the upright sides of the frame 13 are horizon tal barrier cables l4 disposed in suitable number and position to be effective to keep out cattle.

Upstanding from the bottom tube H at either end thereof adjacent the respective posts 7 and 8 are upright arms 16 and I7 secured to the tube II and substantially parallel to the plane of the gate panel 12. At the upper end of each of the arms 16 and 17 I provide one of a pair of sheaves 2]. Each is freely rotatable and engages with a respective line 22 that is part of a balance reeving. generally designated 23. Each of the lines 22 is symmetrical about a vertical. transverse plane and each of them extends over a respective one ofa pair of sheaves 24 and 26. Each of the sheaves 24 and 26 is rotatably mounted at the outboard end of a triangular support. generally designated 27. The support includes a horizontal hypotenuse beam 28 having a fastening 29 at its center to secure the beam 28 to the top of the post 7. The arrangement is duplicated on the post 8. In' cluded in the triangular support 27 and fastened to the hypotenuse beam 28 are side beams 31 and 32 forming the other two sides of the triangle and at their apex having a fastening 33 to secure them as braces to the respective posts 7 or 8.

Between the reeving around the sheave 21 and the sheaves 24 and 26, the line 22 is carried over tension pulleys 36 and 37 at the end of cables 38 and 39 supported by the fastening 29. The end portions of the line 22 depend from the sheaves 24 and 26 and at the bottom each end portion of each line carries one of four containers 41 serving as counterweights. The containers preferably carry sand, rocks or similar materials and have drains to relieve any water which might otherwise be caught therein.

The central portion or an area near the central por tion of the gate panel 12 is provided with an impact plate 42. preferably in the nature of an upstanding bar secured to and projecting slightly on both sides of the gate frame 13 and extending for approximately the same height as the posts 7 and 8.

With this mechanism. the gate panel 12, when undisturbed. is upright with the impact plate 42 upstanding in substantially the same vertical plane as are the posts 7 and 8. The counterweights 41 all rest on the roadway or adjacent the roadway with the lines 22 in relatively tight condition. The gate in this position is effective to keep cattle on one side thereon. since the cattle are unable to rotate the gate downwardly into a flat position and tend to stay away from the horizontally striped aspect provided by the barrier cables l4.

When a user drives up to the gate in a vehicle. he simply continues to advance his vehicle slowly to make a slight impact against the plate 42. He then continues. This produces a movement or downward rotation of the gate panel 12 about the lower or bottom tube 11. The gate panel 12 is rotated about the axis 43 of the bottom tube and is moved into a horizontal or flat condition on the roadway 6 extending in either direction depending upon the direction of approach of the actu ating vehicle. The tube 11 in rotating about the axis 43 rotates the arms 16 and 17. This swings down the sheaves 21 to tension the lines 22 of the balance reeving 23 and to take in the lines 22 and to lift all of the counterweights 41.

When the vehicle has passed over the flattened gate panel 12 and has just cleared the impact plate 42, the force exerted by the counterweights 41 is then effective to rotate the arms 16 and 17 back to their upright position. This reerects the gate to its original position occupying a vertical plane and restores the impact plate 42 to its upright position ready for a subsequent use.

What is claimed is:

l. A cattle ranch gate for use on a roadway comprising a pair of fixed upright posts disposed opposite each other on opposite sides of said roadway. a pair of supports each including beams disposed in a triangle shape. means for fastening each of said supports to a respective one of said posts with the hypotenuse beam of each of said triangle shape supports extending horizontally and connected to the related one of said posts adjacent the top thereof and with the opposite apex of said triangle shape support secured to said related one of said posts, four sheaves, means for mounting each one of said sheaves on and adjacent to a separate end of said hypotenuse beams a gate panel including a surrounding frame. barrier cables connected to and extending transversely of said frame, means for pivoting said frame to said posts including pivot pins arranged in alignment on a transverse axis close to said roadway. a pair of balance reevings each including a line. means for connecting the intermediate portion of said line of one of said reevings to said gate frame at one end thereof and at a point spaced well above said axis and extending therefrom upwardly over respective ones of said sheaves and then depending therefrom. means for connecting the intermediate portion of said line of said other of said reevings to said gate frame at the other end thereof and at a point spaced well above said axis and extending therefrom upwardly over the other re spective ones of said sheaves and then depending therefrom. and four counter-weights each secured to an end of a respective one of said lines and resting on said Ill 4 roadway when said panel is upright.

2. A gate as in claim 1 including a plurality of tension pulleys. and means for fastening each pulley to the upper portions of said posts with each pulley in engagement with a respective portion of the lines of said respective reevings.

3. A gate as in claim 1 in which each of said connecting means is a sheave connected to said gate frame and through which sheave one of said lines of said reevings is reeved.

4. A gate as in claim 1 including a central upright impact plate on said gate frame.

5. A gate as in claim l in which said pivot pins are constituted by extensions from the ends of said gate frame.

6. A gate as in claim 1 in which said gate frame includes a bottom tube having extensions serving as pivot pins and having uprights serving as mountings for said sheaves of said connecting means. 

1. A cattle ranch gate for use on a roadway comprising a pair of fixed upright posts disposed opposite each other on opposite sides of said roadway, a pair of supports each including beams disposed in a triangle shape, means for fastening each of said supports to a respective one of said posts with the hypotenuse beam of each of said triangle shape supports extending horizontally and connected to the related one of said posts adjacent the top thereof and with the opposite apex of said triangle shape support secured to said related one of said posts, four sheaves, means for mounting each one of said sheaves on and adjacent to a separate end of said hypotenuse beams, a gate panel including a surrounding frame, barrier cables connected to and extending transversely of said frame, means for pivoting said frame to said posts including pivot pins arranged in alignment on a transverse axis close to said roadway, a pair of balance reevings each including a line, means for connecting the intermediate portion of said line of one of said reevings to said gate frame at one end thereof and at a point spaced well above said axis and extending therefrom upwardly over respective ones of said sheaves and then depending therefrom, means for connecting the intermediate portion of said line of said other of said reevings to said gate frame at the other end thereof and at a point spaced well above said axis and extending therefrom upwardly over the other respective ones of said sheaves and then depending therefrom, and four counter-weights each secured to an end of a respective one of said lines and resting on said roadway when said panel is upright.
 2. A gate as in claim 1 including a plurality of tension pulleys, and means for fastening each pulley to the upper portions of said posts with each pulley in engagement with a respective portion of the lines of said respective reevings.
 3. A gate as in claim 1 in which each of said connecting means is a sheave connected to said gate frame and through which sheave one of said lines of said reevings is reeved.
 4. A gate as in claim 1 including a central upright impact plate on said gate frame.
 5. A gate as in claim 1 in which said pivot pins are constituted by extensions from the ends of said gate frame.
 6. A gate as in claim 1 in which said gate frame includes a bottom tube having extensions serving as pivot pins and having uprights serving as mountings for said sheaves of said connecting means. 